Tak: The Great Juju Challenge

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Tak and Lok team up for some rock-solid platforming in the latest adventures of the Pupanunu people. Full review.

By Matt Casamassina

Can there really ever be too much of a good thing? Not, according to development studio Avalanche Software and publisher THQ, whose partnership has wielded two successful platformers in the original Tak universe. The continuing adventures of the pint-sized sorcerer and would-be hero to the Pupanunu people have sucked in a dedicated fan base of platformer junkies young and old alike. Now, Avalanche and THQ have created a third installment in the series, Tak: The Great Juju Challenge. But with three Tak games in as many years, has the franchise run its course? The answer, thankfully -- surprisingly, even -- is no. Avalanche has injected some fresh gameplay dynamics into the title that breathe new life into the straightforward platformer mechanics of old. There are still some paint-by-numbers moments in the game to be sure, just as there remain some technical shortcomings. But more often this latest entry into the Tak franchise delivers well-crafted, two-character-enhanced puzzles and the same humorous presentation that has helped define the series over the years.

The Facts

All-new Tak adventure

Humorous real-time cut-scenes drive the storyline

Compete in Juju challenges against other tribes

Play as both Tak and Lok to progress through puzzles and levels

New two-player split-screen mode enables gamers to join and drop at any time

A wide assortment of levels ranging from prehistoric mountains to desert ruins

Top Hollywood actors like Patrick Warburton provide voices for characters

Back to Tak's World When the boys at Avalanche Software sat down to develop Tak: The Great Juju Challenge, they decided immediately to take the game into a different direction. As a result, the title no longer continues with a storyline that revolves around main nemesis Tlaloc and his dedication to the humiliation of the Pupanunu people. The loss of his overbearing presence is missed because he was an entertaining character. The game has, however, retained the same exaggeratedly colorful and genuinely humorous presentation style of previous Tak titles. Through a mixture of fluidly animated in-game cut-scenes and rendered sequences (using real-time assets) we learn of the basic setup that drives the gameplay scenarios. With Tlaloc out of the way, the Pupanunu people have devoted themselves to other challenges -- Juju ones, to be specific. The tribe has entered its two greatest warriors, Tak and Lok, into the Great Juju Challenge, a competition that pits the world's best tribes against each other in so-called obstacle courses and mini-games. Naturally, Tak isn't thrilled to be working with Lok, who comes very close to being Neanderthal dense, and some funny cinematics ensue. These clumsy heroes are made extremely likeable, which is an accomplishment given that so many videogame designers try and fail to create similarly inspired characters. Not all of the credit goes to Avalanche's graphics and animation gurus, though. Superb voice work from Hollywood stars like Patrick Warburton help define each of the identities in the game.

The Juju Challenges, defined as obstacle courses, are little more than straightforward, platform-heavy levels designed around timed checkpoints. Gamers who played Tak or its sequel will by and large find a lot in common with these stage make-ups, which are wide open and filled with trails, ropes, pillars and other structures, all waiting to be explored. An on-screen timer counts down continuously (and if gets to zero, the challenge is failed), but players can add time to the clock by reaching checkpoints strewn about each location. As a result, gamers are always racing the clock, although sometimes there's so much time to spare that racing isn't exactly the correct way to describe it.

The Great Juju Challenge feels in many ways like an extension to previous Tak outings, which is both good and bad. Tak is tightly controlled through the large, robust worlds and players who appreciate old-school platforming will be impressed with the selection of run-and-jump obstacles in place. Simply maneuvering through some of the platform-laden locations can be fun and satisfying. Avalanche has also included a wide number of location types, from prehistoric mountains to desert ruins and underground caves, all of which feature unique puzzles and enemies. There are, however, some templated scenarios in the game that refuse to go away. Tak is too many times forced to beat groups of enemies before some doorways will open up, for instance, and likewise portals remain inactive until various checkpoints in levels have been reached. These basic rules occasionally seem forced in an attempt to extend gameplay length, and that can be disappointing.

This latest Tak entry might have still been a decent platformer even without the following new addition, but it's made a much better one because of it. In the Great Juju Challenge, players don't merely control Tak -- they control Lok, too, and all the time. The two characters remain most inseparable, which makes for some humorous in-game antics and dialogue. More importantly, though, are the entertaining new gameplay dynamics made possible with the dual-character configuration. Gamers can switch between either warrior at any time with the tap of a button. When they take control of Tak, Lok becomes an AI-maneuvered sidekick and vice-versa. Tak is a great sorcerer who can swim. Lok is a great warrior who can climb.